For anyone writing "standard show" underneath this audio. Get your brain fixed. How many times did they play in France during 1971? I might say, ONCE. Seriously, guys...get your brain fixed.

Incredible circumstances land the Dead in France playing for free outside a Chateau once inhabited by Chopin to about 200 people after a downpour wipes away their original festival location. Story goes that everyone is getting drunk from the Chateau open wine cellar, and playfully throwing each other in the pool throughout as the Dead play to the local yokels, fire brigade, village children, and a few lucky deadheads. Love the electric piano throughout...People have described this show as uninspiring and standard, but you can hear the effortlessness of the Dead as they ease their way to wherever they want to go over. Definitely worth a Sunday afternoon listen.

The top of my skull should be gone because my brain just got blown out of it

A standard show.

Highlights: Hard To Handle

This sounds so much like a typical backyard recording I just had to give it Isotope Ozone:
https://archive.org/details/dead19710621

you can see a compilation here, it's pretty wild
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=KWbzmRBU6Lg

This show is great. i love all of these charlie millers. they seem to all have that "perfect" sound to them. everything is loud and clear, and vocally, this is an exceptional show. classic '71 dead sound. every instument is exquisitely heard and the boys harmonies are spot on. some really nice versions of songs and a cool story on the show/venue. enjoy, and much thanks to charlie miller for his enhancement of these musical works of art.

and as a neat compliment, check out the youtube video footage, what an amazing scene!!!

Special thanks to Charlie Miller for not chopping up TOO as so many others are wont to do.

the band went over to france for a big festival, a free festival, but the festival was rained out. They were staying at a little chateau, that Chopin once lived in), near the town of Auvers sure Olse which is where Vincent Van Gogh is buried. The owner was a film score composer and had a 16 track recording studio. The band was there with nothing to do so they decided to play at the chateau themselves. Out the back of the chateau the band set up and played for the locals and footage was recorded and videotaped (Broadcast by ORTF (French Radio and Telivision Broadcasting)

Great Show

Notwithstanding the little "miscommunication" at the end of Casey Jones, I'd have to say that I like Europe '71 better than Europe '72! Nice Morning Dew.

Ok, stayed up way too late last night listening to this show. OFF THE HOOK! The boys were firing on all cylinders and Jerry was insanely good. The sound is full and rich, with all of Jerry's subtleties clear in the mix. Bill the drummer was all over the place. So many awesome tunes but the Morning Dew was a revelation. The crowd was blessed and they knew it. Joins my small but hallowed pantheon of all-time great shows.
I'm surprised there aren't more comments on this beautiful show. Maybe it's just not fully on the radar yet?

You can see a video of this show including the Jerry interview, Hard To Handle and Rider (in color), Morning Dew, Sing Me Back Home in black and white and much french TV commentating at http://gratefulvideo.com/. Hard To Handle smokes, Pig and Jerry are great but the real star is Bill K. What a drummer! BTW that is Pig playing the electric piano as no organ was present, dunno why. But his contributions, especially on TOO, are really interesting because he's on e-piano and playing things differently than what he normally did on organ. BTW the Other One is fantastic, ditto Wharf Rat. Garcia's voice on that one is just spot on.
This source transfered by Charlie Miller is superior to the other available as the whole show is here and the sound is excellent being intimate, clear and at the same time raw. It's a solid 1971 show four months before Keith Godchaux joined the band. And one played outdoors to a small but very enthusiastic audience in the backyard of a chateau. In other words it's one hell of a house party. The Other One and Wharf Rat are as good as it gets in 1971.
BTW, update, the show is up on YouTube now and considering that you can see the bands breath and they are playing on grass, which was probably cold and damp, the boys play pretty damn well!

typical 71 show - very good!! sound and playing